One of the most modern stadiums of its time, the Vodafone Arena has a capacity of 43,000 spectators and boasts environmentally friendly features, such as the use of solar energy and rainwater storage for watering the pitch, which is made of hybrid grass – a first in Turkey. The stadium, home to Turkish Super League football team Beşiktaş JK Eagles, is also an entertainment and fashion center that hosts concerts and live shows, an interactive museum and the biggest sportswear store in Turkey. The Arena's sound system was also equipped with the most technologically advanced solutions on the market.
Sound designer Stage Craft and distributor, Lotus Technologies, teamed up to provide 30 Mugello-KH5 loudspeakers and 12 Mugello-KS5 subwoofers to be suspended from the sides of the scoreboard. Equipped with Slim Array Technology, the KH5 allows sound to exit instantaneously without resonance, generating a significant amount of sound pressure in the low and low-mid range resulting in a better impulse response and maximum clarity and definition. The Electronic Beam Steering directs the sound to the audience area and provides continuous, even coverage that reaches the back row of the bleachers on the opposite side.
The reconstruction of a historic and monumental stadium such as this one was a challenge altogether. A brand new stadium with a variety of never-before seen technologies and the undertaking of the audio installation responsibility made the expectations for Stage Craft really high. We were obliged to impress the crowds with sound quality, technology and design all at the same time. But after a demo of the KH5 system, it was clear we had the resources to satisfy both our client's and our needs. Towering from two sides and distributing the sound from a single location to the entire stadium, the plan was a huge success! We are all very happy to have shared and accomplished this project with K-array.
